Savannah Restaurants

Mellow Mushroom is a local pizza restaurant in Savannah's historic district. The pizzas come in multiple sizes, including individual 10 inch pizzas, and there is a broad selection of toppings available. Service was friendly, and there is a bar if you want beer or wine with your pizza.

The New South Café has spawned from catering business of Matthew Cohen-Professional Chef Services and is located in the same building on Skidaway Road. The dining room is very cute, quaint, and refreshing. The décor is colorful and artsy. The New South Café offers a nice change to most ordinary menus that sometimes are all too common in most restaurants, meaning, the flavors are interesting and the menu choices allow the diner to experience a different take on what one would assume to be a “familiar” dish.
My appetizer consisted of several different choices that were shared. Tuna Tar Tar with Wasabi Mayo on Sweet Potato Chips, Crispy Smoked Duck Spring Roll with Asian Noodles, Granny Smith Apple Slaw and Sweet Soy Sauce, Beer Battered Fried Green Tomatoes with Sriracha Sauce – Wow, what a feast, and we haven’t even gotten to the main course.
For my entrée I had the White Snapper Teriyaki with Pad Thai Noodles, Napa Cabbage, Peanuts, Shiitake Mushrooms and a Lychee Sabayon- Very nice, flavorful and cooked to perfection! The person dining with me had the Marinated and Grilled Skirt Steak with Cilantro Rice, Black Beans, Guacamole, Toasted Tortilla, Pico De Gallo and Sour Cream, which was also wonderful.
What I do like about The New South Café is the use of ingredients and techniques that are used in a way that the ordinary diner would not expect. It allows for the creative taste buds to really take notice. There is so much going on within the menu it might take a couple of trips to take your taste buds on the culinary journey that The New South Café has invited you on, but it is worth it.
As you can see by what I have mentioned, this restaurant is ahead of its time. Don’t let the location fool you, it is not ‘just’ a restaurant, it is much, much more than that. The combination of interesting flavors, beautiful presentations and culinary techniques that are devoted to this menu is astounding.

Favorite Dish: The Tuna Tar Tar is my favorite app!

The best homemade ice cream ever! It's just off Hwy 80 on the way to Tybee on Whitemarsh Island. Pretty residential area so lots of locals - from 5 to 75! Inside you feel like you're in the tropics with palm trees and bamboo menus. Really fun. The owners really do make all the ice cream right in the store and they also bake bagels, muffins, cookies & other goodies. Ever had organic coffee? They use a Georgia roaster for fresh organic fair trade coffee and it tastes great. Tradewinds is only about 5 miles outside of the historic area of Savannah so it's definitely worth the stop if you're going to Ft. Pulaski or Tybee.

Favorite Dish: I can't decide what my favorite thing is. It's either a Savannah Sunshine smoothie (100% fruit) or toasted coconut ice cream. Nothing beats homemade ice cream. Come to think of it, they have a great flavor called Savannah Mud with chocolate ice cream, caramel, and mini peanut butter cups. Yum!

Beautiful historic building, inviting elegant interior. The service was fantastic. Nice wine selection. To this day, I still drool when I think about the food. Started out with classic southern shimp & grits--the best I've ever had. Crab stuffed Grouper for my entree. Plan to spend upwards of $30 per person including appetizer, drinks & entree.

Favorite Dish: Don't leave until you've had the shrimp & grits. Take my word for it.

Mrs. Sema Wilkes who ran her Dining Room 59 years died in 2002, and the restaurant was closed for some months. Mrs. Wilkes and her Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room have been a Savannah legend for many years. Both locals and visitors loved her Southern charm and her delicious Southern style of cooking.

She won recognition and awards from Conde Nast Traveller and Southern Living Magazines, and she wrote and published two cookbooks.
Fortunately, her spirit lives on since her family reopened the restaurant.

The scene is still the same: at 11:00 am, a line snakes to the street from the basement entrance of this restaurant (a former boarding house). All the meals are served family style.

The sign of the restaurant stands beneath mossy oaks, but you won't miss it because of the lines of people waiting to get inside. The menu is seasonal and features a rotating group of traditional delights.

Grace is always said before you eat, and you clear your own dishes! A delightful experience.

Favorite Dish: The Southern fried chicken is delicious as are the snap beans, black-eyed peas, candied yams, buttery cornbread, and collard greens.

Here are some other suggestions for a variety of culinary experiences while visiting Savannah.

Clary's Cafe
(912)233-0402
404 Abercorn Street
This place has been around since 1903 and used to be a drugstore with a lunch counter. It now serves everything from burgers to Caesar salads, and, of course, milk shakes and malts. We were told that breakfast is especially excellent. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Vinnie Van Go-Go's
(912)233-6394
110 West Julian Street
This place was voted "Best Pizza in Savannah" year after year, and I know why. Even though it's New York style pizza (not my favorite kind), I really enjoyed it. Try it with the excellent spinach salad. The building is set in a narrow wedge of a building in the City Market area. It's a low-ceilinged bohemian enclave.

Cafe Gelatohhh!
(912)234-2344
City Market
This is an ice cream shoppe with authentic Italian gelato that is made fresh daily. There are 24 flavors, superior coffee, specialty drinks, wines, and fresh lemonade.

Favorite Dish: Wall's Barbecue
(912)-232-9754
5151 East York Lane
This restaurant is located on a narrow alley in the middle of the historic district. It's like a shack, but it serves cheap deviled crabs, red rice, and smoked ribs with mustard sauce. (First time I ever had BBQ made with Mustard Sauce). Only a few tables so you might want to order "To Go"!

Old Pink House
(912)-232-4262
23 Abercorn Street
This is a landmark restaurant that offers fresh seafood and expertly prepared meats as their house specialties. It's an historic building with nine dining rooms and a cozy, dark tavern downstairs.

Gryphon Tea Room
(912)-238-2481
337 Bull Street
This used to be Solomon's drugstore, but it was recently refurbished by the Savannah College of Art and Design. It is now a charming but quirky tea room" which serves sandwiches, soups, and salads as well as hundreds of hot teas. The name comes from a carved mahogany gryphon clock in the restaurant...it's quite an ornate building too. Serves Breakfast and lunch only.

Savannah Candy Kitchen
(912)201-9501
Old Market
This is a great place for handmade southern confections, cakes, and candies. You'll just think you are in heaven!

There are others, but these are some of my favorites.

Allan and I had lots of fun at a landmark and tourist institution in Savannah called The Pirates'House.

It has been welcoming people to Savannah since 1753. It first opened as an inn for seafarers. "Here seamen drank their grog and discoursed, sailor fashion, on their exotic high seas adventures from Singapore to Bombay and from London to Port Said".

Today, The Pirates' House is a restaurant for visitors, locals, and is especially enjoyed by entire families. They have an extensive menu that appeals to almost everyone. I especially enjoyed the desserts! This restaurant is quite unique and spreads out in all directions. There are 15 separate dining rooms, and each one is different. There is a wide selection of wines, a Pirates' House Bar, and it is noted for its distinguished service.

Favorite Dish: The superb service was quite appreciated. I loved the lobster tail with an unusual butter sauce that was laced with citrus. I found the lobster to so tender it melted in my mouth.

Allan enjoyed the filet mignon that was sliced and served with roasted potatoes tossed with a blue cheese cream sauce. The flavors mixed nicely. Another time he tried the wonderful Peppered Rack of Lamb.

Of course I anticipated the much talked about desserts. It was difficult to make a decision, but I ordered the flourless hazelnut torte, and was I happy. I found that it was dense and fudge-like [ as it should be]. Allan had the Mocha Creme Brulee...if you love chocolate, you'll love it.

The combination of excellent service, friendly staff, and delicious cuisine made for an outstanding dining experience.

So nostalgic. Full of memorabilia from "Gone With The Wind". Friendly atmosphere and of course the servers are very polite and friendly

Favorite Dish: Could not pick my favourite, the last meal we had there was as good as the first